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Induction hob - sorry, not at all garden related

rachelQrtJHBjbrachelQrtJHBjb Posts: 819
in The potting shed
I have to urgently replace my hob and am looking at induction ones. There are so many to choose from I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has several years' experience using one. Open to brand suggestions, though have been leaning towards Neff due to Which? reviews. TIA.
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  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    I always found Siemens ones great...who actually own Neff and Bosch anyway. But we also had a really good one from IKEA. Can't wait to rip out the stupid gas range nonsense the previous owner put in our house for a Siemens oven and induction hob. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited December 2020
    I had a new kitchen fitted just over a year ago.
    I wanted Neff, but was advised to go with AEG, which I did mainly because I didn't want any knobs or dials sticking out that invariably get grubby and collect grease.
    I've been very happy with it.
    I do like to saute so I got a wok burner to go alongside the induction hob and I'm very glad I did.
    Great as induction is - the control is even better than gas, you can't saute properly, so if you do a lot of that, consider a wok burner too.
    Even after a big fry-up all the hob needs is a wipe over, and as the hob itself doesn't get hot splashes/boil-overs do not bake-on and are easily wiped off.
    On setting 1 or 2 I also use it to defrost soups, stews and the like.
    If I want to make a big stew in a long 5L casserole, 2 of the induction areas can be joined into one long 'burner'
    I've not heard any bad views about Neff, so I'm sure they're great too.

    PS - just read steephill's post - very true.
    I had several 'induction-safe' pans - but found they didn't work well at all - took forever to heat up.
    I bought a new set of Stellar Induction pans and they are great


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    I was very impressed when we got ours, an AEG secondhand from a friend but very lightly used. You might imagine I'd be easily impressed though as it replaced an ancient ceramic hob cooker which came with the house 25 years ago. Induction hobs allow great control of temperatures from a fierce boil to the gentlest of simmers. As there is no thermal mass in the hob to be heated to heat the pot they respond very quickly to the controls and are much safer to use.
    Check that your existing pots and pans will work though, copper bottomed is out,  aluminium won't work and not all stainless works. Cast iron works very well as does mild steel (e.g. woks).
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    I'd just bring to everyone's attention that AEG is just a rebadged Electrolux...so essentially an IKEA appliance at a higher cost. I realised that after an AEG coffee maker gave up the ghost after six months and their support was terrible. I had the impression that AEG was still a German brand...how wrong was I? Replaced it with a Melitta one and had been going for two years plus with no issues. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    And yes...I'm biased towards German appliances 😂
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    Good point about brand ownership, there are many brands but only a few corporations which own them. In the main they use their brands to segment the market rather than compete between their own brands, e.g. Neff are built-in, Bosch free-standing. If you can afford it then look at Miele, German family owned since 1899 and high quality.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Induction hobs can be great if you have good pans and I'd always go for an electric oven but I would always want a gas powered backup for a hob for power cuts after living in an area - admittedly 3 decades ago - where the power always died in electrical storms and brown-outs were frequent in winter.  

    30 years ago it was a Gaz camping stove but since then I've had gas hobs installed in my kitchens including a Rangemaster oven with electric oven and grill and gas hob.

    Miele and Bosch are good reliable brands and my faves for domestic appliances.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Adding to the comment above, John Lewis brand electrical kitchen products are usually AEG/Electrolux as well.
    Rutland, England
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I have a Neff. Touch control no nobs.  Wipes off to leave a black sheet of glass when you're not using it.  If a pan boils over, you can just lift the pan, wipe and put it back down.   If you have a set of lifetime guarantee copper bottomed pans, you will need a new set as they don't work on induction.   Tefal /Jamie Oliver pans work well.
  • rachelQrtJHBjbrachelQrtJHBjb Posts: 819
    Thank you all. I had overlooked Miele and other German brands and also not realised AEG and Electrolux are one and the same. When you Google induction hobs there is just so much information, but most of it is driven by the online sellers. 

    Thank you @Obelixx, I do plan to have a dual fuel range as well as power cuts are more likely in the future.
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